13/10/02
The State Government unveiled the centrepiece of its unprecedented nurse recruitment campaign at Fremantle Hospital today - a $1million advertising campaign designed to attract nurses back to the profession.
Premier Geoff Gallop and Health Minister Bob Kucera jointly launched the campaign - You Are The One - which targets the 10,000 nurses who are on the Western Australian Nurses Register but no longer working in the sector.
"During the 1990s, one in nine WA nurses left the public health system and a major investment has to be made to turn that situation around," Dr Gallop said.
"The WA health system cannot function without nurses, because their contribution affects every aspect of health service delivery in every corner of our State.
"More nurses are not only good for our health system, they will ease pressure on our existing workforce so WA retains the valuable nursing staff we already have."
Dr Gallop said the advertising campaign was part of the State Government's comprehensive $16.4million Nurse-Link recruitment program to win back nurses.
Nurse-link offers a range of flexible options, including:
- free re-entry programs for nurses wanting to rejoin the Government health sector, including free renewal of registration and refresher courses;
- financial assistance for nurses re-entering the Government health sector via refresher and renewal programs. For example, nurses undertaking refresher programs are paid a salary and nurses renewing their registration will be provided with a grant of financial assistance;
- a 1800 toll-free number staffed by nursing recruitment specialists (1800 112 272); and
Dr Gallop said the Nurse-Link campaign was backed up by a $289million pay deal for registered nurses.
A major component of the advertising campaign would be explaining the new conditions on offer to nurses considering a return to the profession - including six weeks' paid paternity leave, increased nightshift penalties and improved on-call allowances.
Mr Kucera said there were many other reasons why former nurses should consider a return to the profession, including a 13.5 per cent pay rise, a $73.5million commitment by the Government to fund 450 new nursing positions and the development of 'family friendly' hospitals and health services.
In the last year, the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) nurses working in public hospitals had increased by 325.
Nurses - not actors - chose to appear in the advertisements as a mark of their commitment to rejuvenating the profession in WA.
"Nearly 70 nurses from our major teaching hospitals and even some who have completed a renewal of registration course were involved in filming the commercials over two days at Fremantle Hospital," Mr Kucera said.
"These are committed people who care about the future of nursing in WA and want to see numbers increase for the benefit of staff and patients alike.
"Although not all appear in the final cuts due to editing for the one 60-second and two 30-second commercials, the involvement and support of each and every one of them has been immeasurable."
The State-wide campaign will be aired over the next four weeks and again early next year with the key message: '
We're welcoming nurses back with improved pay and conditions, plus free retraining and on-the-job support'. Mr Kucera said the State Government's commitment to attracting and retaining more nurses would have positive flow-on effects for the entire health industry in WA - including the private and aged care sectors.
Premier's office - 9222 9475
Health Minister's office - 9213 7009
